How to Make Pancho Cake

Russian Pancho Cake or Pancho Torte is a super easy to make and delicious cake that became a hit in Russia in 2000’s .

 Pancho cake is a distinctive dessert known for its layered structure, combining moist sponge cake with rich cream and often interspersed with fruit, typically cherries or other berries. This cake is notable for its dome-like appearance, which is achieved by assembling the layers in a specific manner. 

Variations of Pancho Cake

Fruit Variations: While cherries are traditional, variations of the Pancho cake can include different types of fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, or mixed berries, offering a range of flavors and textures.

Cream Alternatives: The cream used in Pancho cake can vary. Some versions use a rich, butter-based cream, while others might opt for lighter options such as whipped cream or even mascarpone-based mixtures for a more refined texture.

Chocolate Infusion: A popular variation includes the addition of chocolate or cocoa powder, either in the sponge cake layers or mixed into the cream, adding a depth of flavor that complements the fruit.

Nut Additions: For added texture and flavor, nuts like almonds or hazelnuts can be sprinkled between layers or used as a topping.

Serving Russian Pancho Cake

Pancho cake, given its rich and layered structure, is typically served as a standalone dessert. It’s commonly presented on a flat serving dish or cake stand to showcase its dome-like appearance. 

The cake is usually sliced in wedges, similar to a traditional round cake, allowing each portion to display the beautiful layers.  It is best served chilled, as this helps maintain the structure and makes it easier to cut.

Accompaniments: While rich and flavorful on its own, Pancho cake can be accompanied by a light dessert wine or a cup of coffee, which complements its sweetness and richness.

Garnishes: A simple garnish of fresh fruit, mint leaves, or a dusting of powdered sugar can enhance the visual appeal.

Pairing:  Pancho cake is often popular as a holiday dessert, although its pair well with many different dishes all year round.  Another popular holiday cake in Russia and really worldwide, is gingerbread cake, which is often characterized by a spiced flavor profile and dense texture, usually containing variety of spices like ginger, cinnamon, allspice, molasses and cloves. It’s usually decorated with fruit, intricate designs or glazed with a sweet icing.

Try serving Pancho cake as a dessert after traditional Russian main courses such as fish in aspic, Pozharsky Cutlets, or Russian Hunter’s Stew. 

The Pancho Cake aka Torte recipe below consists of a chocolate and vanilla sponge cake with light cream based on sour cream. Pineapple or cherries as a filling between the sponge cake sections gives it extra flavor.

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How to Make Pancho Cake

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

This Russian Pancho cake, aka Pancho torte, recipe uses light sponge cake layers with a delicious cherry and sour cream filling and chocolate drizzle for decoration. Easy and tasty! It is a great holiday dessert.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• ½ can condensed milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• For the filling:
• 2 cups fresh cherries
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• 1 cup walnuts, crushed
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• For the chocolate ganache:
• ½ cup chocolate chips, melted
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk the sugar into 2 eggs for a couple of minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed.
3. Once the mixture turns pale yellow, reduce the speed and whisk in the condensed milk, sour cream and vanilla until well combined.
4. Stir the baking soda into a bowl of vinegar and drizzle it onto the above mixture.
5. Add flour to the above mixture in batches while you continue to stir it until all of the former is incorporated.
6. Stir them together into an uniform batter free of lumps and pour half of it into a 10’’ cake pan, lightly greased with butter.
7. Dust the cocoa powder over remaining half of the mixture and give it a nice stir to mix.
8. Transfer it to another pre-greased 10’’ cake pan and bake both of them in the oven for half an hour each or until the skewer comes out clean when inserted through the centre of the cake.
9. To make the filling, whisk the condensed milk, sour cream and vanilla extract together and set aside.
10. Slice the chocolate horizontally into two halves and chop it into 1 ½’’ squares.
11. Slice the entire vanilla cakes into similar squares.
12. Spread about 3 tbsp of the above whisked mixture across the intact half of the chocolate cake and top it up with crushed walnuts.
13. Stir 7-8 squares into the remaining whisked filling until they soak some of the latter.
14. Arrange these creamy squares across the walnut layer and top it up with more walnuts and some of the cherries.
15. Repeat the layers until all the squares are used up.
16. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler and stir in butter as well cream until preperly blended.
17. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and then stuff it into a ziplock with a small hole at one of its corner.
18. Pipe it over the cake irregularly until it is covered with threads of the ganache.
19. Let it set in the fridge for about 5-8 hours.
20. Slice and serve cold.

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Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Carleen